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Many nations have developed their own laws aimed at protecting and even increasing biodiversity when possible; some well-known pieces of legislature in the United States include the Endangered Species Act, which was actually passed more than a decade before the term biodiversity was coined, and the Soil and Water Conservation Act and Clean Air Act, both of which were not specifically aimed at maintaining levels of biodiversity or slowing the rate of biodiversity oss, but which have these effects regardless (Faith 2007). Following the Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992, many other nations also began passing laws, and international laws and standards were also set (Pethiyagoda 2004). Ironically, some scientists claim, some of these laws are actually so restrictive that they are prohibitive to research attempts that would aid in the conservation effort by providing deeper and richer understandings of specific ecosystems and environments that are high in biodiversity (Pethiyagoda 2004). This is especially true in still-developing countries, many of which have enacted environmental and biodiversity protection laws as a means of gaining recognition from the developed world, but which prohibits them from conducting business and research in order to help them develop (Pethiyagoda 2004). Clearly, a clearer understanding...
The issue of biodiversity specifically and environmental protection at large cannot be separated from the realities of human existence. Though we use our environment too harshly and consumptively today, there is no doubt that our species depends on the environment as much as any other species. Balancing our needs with theirs will ensure continued biodiversity.
References
Faith, D. (2007). "Biodiversity." Stanford Encyclopedia f Philosophy. Accessed 5 August 2009. http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/biodiversity/
Pethiyagoda, R. (2004). "Biodiversity laws alienate and criminalise taxonomists." Nature 429, pp. 129.
Shah, a. (2009). "Biodiversity." Global Issues. Accessed 5 August 2009. http://www.globalissues.org/issue/169/biodiversity
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